Conveying device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

A conveying device includes a first guide section, a second guide section, and an urging section. The second guide section has a guide center portion and pivots about the guide center portion. The second guide section is pivotable between a guide position and a separation position. The guide position is a position in which the second guide section is located when a conveyance path of a sheet is formed between the second guide section and the first guide section. When the second guide section is in the guide position, the urging section urges the second guide section in a first pivot direction.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A conveying device that conveys a sheet, the conveying device comprising:
 a first guide section extending in a conveyance direction of the sheet; 
 a second guide section having a fulcrum portion and configured to pivot about the fulcrum portion; and 
 an urging section configured to urge the second guide section, wherein 
 the second guide section is pivotable between a guide position and a separation position, the guide position being a position in which the second guide section is located when a conveyance path of the sheet is formed between the second guide section and the first guide section, the separation position being a position in which the second guide position is located as a result of pivoting from the guide position by a specific angle, 
 when the second guide section is in the guide position, the urging section urges the second guide section in a first pivot direction, the first pivot direction being a direction in which the second guide section pivots from the separation position toward the guide position, and 
 in a course of the second guide section pivoting from the guide position to the separation position, a direction in which the urging section urges the second guide section changes from the first pivot direction to a second pivot direction, the second pivot direction being a direction in which the second guide section moves from the guide position to the separation position. 
 
     
     
       2. The conveying device according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rail section provided along the second guide section; and 
 a pivotably supported arm section, wherein 
 the arm section includes:
 the urging section; 
 an arm fulcrum portion about which the arm section pivots; and 
 a movable section movable on the rail section, and 
 
 the urging section is located between the arm fulcrum portion and the movable section. 
 
     
     
       3. The conveying device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 when the movable section is located on the rail section, the urging section urges the movable section in a separation direction, the separation direction being a direction in which the movable section moves away from the arm fulcrum portion. 
 
     
     
       4. The conveying device according to  claim 2 , wherein
 the rail section has a specific portion that is in contact with the movable section when the second guide section is in the guide position, and 
 the arm section is pivotable in a first arm pivot direction and a second arm pivot direction, the first arm pivot direction being a direction in which the arm section pivots to cause the movable section to come close to the specific portion, the second arm pivot direction being a direction in which the arm section pivots to cause the movable section to move away from the specific portion. 
 
     
     
       5. The conveying device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 when the arm section pivots in the first arm pivot direction, the movable section moves toward the specific portion along the rail section and the second guide section pivots in the first pivot direction, and 
 when the arm section pivots in the second arm pivot direction, the movable section moves away from the specific portion along the rail section and the second guide section pivots in a second pivot direction opposite to the first pivot direction. 
 
     
     
       6. The conveying device according to  claim 4 , wherein
 the second guide section is located lower than the first guide section in a vertical direction, 
 the arm fulcrum portion is located lower than the fulcrum portion in the vertical direction and is located on one side in a horizontal direction as seen from the guide fulcrum portion, 
 when the second guide section is in the guide position, the movable section is in a first position, the first position being located upper than the arm fulcrum portion in the vertical direction and being located on a side opposite to the fulcrum portion in the horizontal direction as seen from the arm fulcrum portion, and 
 when the second guide section is in the separation position, the movable section is in a second position, the second position being located upper than the arm fulcrum portion in the vertical direction and being located on the fulcrum side in the horizontal direction as seen from the first position. 
 
     
     
       7. The conveying device according to  claim 6 , further comprising
 a restriction section configured to restrict movement of the movable section to prevent the movable section from moving downward in the vertical direction farther than the first position. 
 
     
     
       8. The conveying device according to  claim 6 , wherein
 when the second guide section is in the guide position, the arm fulcrum portion is located upper than an imaginary normal line in the vertical direction, the imaginary normal line being a line intersecting at right angles with an imaginary line and passing through a contact portion, the imaginary line being a line passing through the fulcrum portion and the contact portion, the contact portion being a portion of the rail section in contact with the movable section. 
 
     
     
       9. The conveying device according to  claim 8 , wherein
 when the second guide section is in the guide position, an angle of inclination of the rail section relative to the imaginary line is greater than 0° and no greater than 30°. 
 
     
     
       10. An image forming apparatus comprising the conveying device according to  claim 1 .